1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resin composition for a non-woven fabric-like design and a process for producing a molded article of a resin having a non-woven fabric-like design. More particularly, the present invention relates to a resin composition which can be pelletized with stability and, when the resin composition is mixed with pellets of an uncolored resin and molded in a mold having a pattern of fine roughness, provides a molded article which has excellent mechanical properties, weatherability and heat resistance and exhibits a non-woven fabric-like design with warmth and depth, and a process for producing the molded article.
2. Description of Related Art
Heretofore, non-woven fabrics are frequently used as interior materials for vehicles and houses. Non-woven fabrics exhibit an excellent design with warmth and depth due to the structure composed of entangled fibers. However, to use a non-woven fabric as an interior material, it is necessary that a substrate having a sufficient mechanical strength and a fixed shape is placed and a non-woven fabric is laminated to the substrate. This cause an increase in the operation procedure and cost inevitably increases. Moreover, when a non-woven fabric is laminated as an interior material of a vehicle using an adhesive and left for a long time, window glasses are occasionally clouded due to volatile matters.
When a molded article of a plastic is used as an interior material, the strength and the shape of the interior material can be selected in a considerably wide range. However, it is not easy that a molded article of a plastic is provided with such a pattern with warmth and depth as that of non-woven fabrics. Moreover, when a colored molded article of a plastic is prepared, it is frequently conducted that a resin composition containing coloring agents in a great concentration and prepared in advance is mixed with pellets of an uncolored resin in an amount 5 to 100 times as much as the amount of the colored resin composition and the prepared mixture is used for molding. It is not easy that a resin composition containing coloring agents in a great concentration is pelletized with stability.
From the standpoint of environmental protection and effective utilization of materials, recycling of various products are being urged in recent years. Therefore, it is important for resin compositions containing coloring agents that molded articles prepared by using the resin composition can be recycled.